A Letter from Origen to Africanus.

 2.  You begin by saying, that when, in my discussion with our friend Bassus, I used the Scripture which contains the prophecy of Daniel when yet a you

 3.  And in many other of the sacred books I found sometimes more in our copies than in the Hebrew, sometimes less.  I shall adduce a few examples, sin

 4.  Again, through the whole of Job there are many passages in the Hebrew which are wanting in our copies, generally four or five verses, but sometime

 5.  In all these cases consider whether it would not be well to remember the words, “Thou shalt not remove the ancient landmarks which thy fathers hav

 6.  Let us now look at the things you find fault with in the story itself.  And here let us begin with what would probably make any one averse to rece

 7.  Moreover, I remember hearing from a learned Hebrew, said among themselves to be the son of a wise man, and to have been specially trained to succe

 8.  And I knew another Hebrew, who told about these elders such traditions as the following:  that they pretended to the Jews in captivity, who were h

 9.  But probably to this you will say, Why then is the “History” not in their Daniel, if, as you say, their wise men hand down by tradition such stori

 10.  Your next objection is, that in this writing Daniel is said to have been seized by the Spirit, and to have cried out that the sentence was unjust

 11.  Your other objections are stated, as it appears to me, somewhat irreverently, and without the becoming spirit of piety.  I cannot do better than

 12.  I had nearly forgotten an additional remark I have to make about the prino-prisein and schino-schisein Essa chos isouoth essa is Hesre aïs is ess

 13.  You raise another objection, which I give in your own words:  “Moreover, how is it that they, who were captives among the Chaldeans, lost and won

 14.  But you say, “How could they who were in captivity pass sentence of death?” asserting, I know not on what grounds, that Susanna was the wife of a

 15.  I find in your letter yet another objection in these words:  “And add, that among all the many prophets who had been before, there is no one who

 Your last objection is, that the style is different.  This I cannot see.

9.  But probably to this you will say, Why then is the “History” not in their Daniel, if, as you say, their wise men hand down by tradition such stories?  The answer is, that they hid from the knowledge of the people as many of the passages which contained any scandal against the elders, rulers, and judges, as they could, some of which have been preserved in uncanonical writings (Apocrypha).  As an example, take the story told about Esaias; and guaranteed by the Epistle to the Hebrews, which is found in none of their public books.  For the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in speaking of the prophets, and what they suffered, says, “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were slain with the sword.”13    Heb. xi. 37.  To whom, I ask, does the “sawn asunder” refer (for by an old idiom, not peculiar to Hebrew, but found also in Greek, this is said in the plural, although it refers to but one person)?  Now we know very well that tradition says that Esaias the prophet was sawn asunder; and this is found in some apocryphal work, which probably the Jews have purposely tampered with, introducing some phrases manifestly incorrect, that discredit might be thrown on the whole.

However, some one hard pressed by this argument may have recourse to the opinion of those who reject this Epistle as not being Paul’s; against whom I must at some other time use other arguments to prove that it is Paul’s.14    [See note supra, p. 239.  S.]  At present I shall adduce from the Gospel what Jesus Christ testifies concerning the prophets, together with a story which He refers to, but which is not found in the Old Testament, since in it also there is a scandal against unjust judges in Israel.  The words of our Saviour run thus:  “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partaken with them in the blood of the prophets.  Wherefore be ye witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.  Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Gehenna?  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:  that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.  Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.”  And what follows is of the same tenor:  “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”15    Matt. xxiii. 29–38.

Let us see now if in these cases we are not forced to the conclusion, that while the Saviour gives a true account of them, none of the Scriptures which could prove what He tells are to be found.  For they who build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, condemning the crimes their fathers committed against the righteous and the prophets, say, “If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.”16    Matt. xxiii. 30.  In the blood of what prophets, can any one tell me?  For where do we find anything like this written of Esaias, or Jeremias, or any of the twelve, or Daniel?  Then about Zacharias the son of Barachias, who was slain between the temple and the altar, we learn from Jesus only, not knowing it otherwise from any Scripture.  Wherefore I think no other supposition is possible, than that they who had the reputation of wisdom, and the rulers and elders, took away from the people every passage which might bring them into discredit among the people.  We need not wonder, then, if this history of the evil device of the licentious elders against Susanna is true, but was concealed and removed from the Scriptures by men themselves not very far removed from the counsel of these elders.

In the Acts of the Apostles also, Stephen, in his other testimony, says, “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?  And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.”17    Acts vii. 52.  That Stephen speaks the truth, every one will admit who receives the Acts of the Apostles; but it is impossible to show from the extant books of the Old Testament how with any justice he throws the blame of having persecuted and slain the prophets on the fathers of those who believed not in Christ.  And Paul, in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, testifies this concerning the Jews:  “For ye, brethren, became followers of the Churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus:  for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men.”18    1 Thess. ii. 14, 15.  What I have said is, I think, sufficient to prove that it would be nothing wonderful if this history were true, and the licentious and cruel attack was actually made on Susanna by those who were at that time elders, and written down by the wisdom of the Spirit, but removed by these rulers of Sodom,19    Isa. i. 10. as the Spirit would call them.

Ἀλλ' εἰκὸς πρὸς ταῦτά σε ζητήσειν τί δήποτε οὐ φέρεται παρ' αὐτοῖς ἐν τῷ Δανιὴλ ἡ ἱστορία, εἰ, ὡς φῂς, τοιαῦτα περὶ αὐτῆς οἱ σοφοὶ αὐτῶν παραδιδόασι. Λεκτέον δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα, ὅτι ὅσα δεδύνηνται τῶν περιεχόντων κατηγορίαν πρεσβυτέρων, καὶ ἀρχόντων, καὶ κριτῶν, περιεῖλον ἀπὸ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ λαοῦ, ὧν τινὰ σώζεται ἐν ἀποκρύφοις. Καὶ τούτου παράδειγμα δώσομεν τὰ περὶ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν ἱστορούμενα, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῆς μαρτυρούμενα, ἐν οὐδενὶ τῶν φανερῶν βιβλίων γεγραμμένα: περὶ γὰρ τῶν προφητῶν διεξερχόμενος, καὶ ὧν πεπόνθασιν, ὁ τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους γράψας φησίν: »Ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον.« Πευσόμεθα γὰρ ἐπὶ τίνα ἀναφέρηται τὸ, »ἐπρίσθησαν,« κατά τι ἔθος ἀρχαῖον οὐ μόνον Ἑβραϊκὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἑλληνικὸν, πληθυντικῶς λεγόμενον περὶ ἑνός. Σαφὲς δ' ὅτι αἱ παραδόσεις λέγουσι πεπρίσθαι Ἡσαΐαν τὸν προφήτην: καὶ ἔν τινι ἀποκρύφῳ τοῦτο φέρεται: ὅπερ τάχα ἐπίτηδες ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων ῥερᾳδιούργηται, λέξεις τινὰς τὰς μὴ πρεπούσας παρεμβεβληκότων τῇ γραφῇ, ἵν' ἡ ὅλη ἀπιστηθῇ: ἀλλ' εἰκός τινα, θλιβόμενον ἀπὸ τῆς εἰς ταῦτα ἀποδείξεως, συγχρήσασθαι τῷ βουλήματι τῶν ἀθετούντων τὴν Ἐπιστολὴν, ὡς οὐ Παύλῳ γεγραμμένην: πρὸς ὃν ἄλλων λόγων κατ' ἰδίαν χρῄζομεν εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ εἶναι Παύλου τὴν ἐπιστολήν. Παραθήσομαι οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἀπὸ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τὰ ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ περὶ τῶν προφητῶν μαρτυρούμενα, καὶ ἱστορίαν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ μὲν λεγομένην, ἐν δὲ ταῖς παλαιαῖς Γραφαῖς μὴ φερομένην, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὴ κατηγορίαν περιέχει τῶν ἀνόμων ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ κριτῶν ἔχει δὲ οὕτως ἡ ὑπὸ τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰρημένη λέξις. »Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταὶ, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τοὺς τάφους τῶν προφητῶν καὶ κοσμεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν δικαίων, καὶ λέγετε: Εἰ ἦμεν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἦμεν κοινωνοὶ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν. Ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς, ὅτι υἱοὶ ἐστὲ τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας. Καὶ ὑμεῖς πληρώσατε τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν. Ὄφεις, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, πῶς φύγητε ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως τῆς γεέννης; Διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω πρὸς ὑμᾶς προφήτας, καὶ σοφοὺς, καὶ γραμματεῖς. Ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενεῖτε, καὶ σταυρώσετε, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μαστιγώσετε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ διώξετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν, ὅπως ἔλθῃ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς πᾶν αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχυνόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος Ἄβελ τοῦ δικαίου ἕως τοῦ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου υἱοῦ Βαραχίου, ὃν ἐφονεύσατε μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου. Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἥξει ταῦτα πάντα ἐπὶ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην.« Καὶ τὸ ἑξῆς δὲ τούτων, οὐκ ἀπᾴδει τῶν προκειμένων οὕτως ἔχον: Ἱερουσαλὴμ, Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἡ ἀποκτείνασα τοὺς προφήτας, καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὑτήν: ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις συνάγει τὰ νοσσία ἑαυτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἐθελήσατε: ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος.» Καὶ ἴδωμέν γε εἰ μὴ λεκτέον, ἐν τούτοις, τὸν μὲν Σωτῆρα ἀληθεύειν, οὐχ εὑρίσκεσθαι δὲ τὰς Γραφὰς, ὅσαι δηλοῦσι τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἱστορούμενα: οἱ γὰρ οἰκοδομοῦντες τοὺς τάφους τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ κοσμοῦντες τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν δικαίων, καταγνόντες τῶν ὑπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων εἰς τοὺς δικαίους καὶ εἰς τοὺς προφήτας τετολμημένων, φασίν: «Εἰ ἦμεν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἦμεν κοινωνοὶ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν.» Λεγέτω τις οὖν ἡμῖν, ποίων προφητῶν τῷ αἵματι; Ποῦ γὰρ ἀναγέγραπταί τι τῶν τοιούτων περὶ Ἡσαΐου, ἢ Ἱερεμίου, ἢ τινὸς τῶν ιβʹ, ἢ τοῦ Δανιήλ; Ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ Ζαχαρίου υἱοῦ Βαραχίου φονευθέντος μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, ἀπὸ μὲν Ἰησοῦ μεμαθήκαμεν, ἀπ' οὐδεμιᾶς δὲ ἄλλης Γραφῆς ἔγνωμεν. Διὸ οὐδὲν οἶμαι ἄλλο οἰκονομεῖσθαι, ἢ τοὺς νομιζομένους σοφοὺς, καὶ ἄρχοντας, καὶ πρεσβυτέρους τοῦ λαοῦ ὑπεξελεῖν τὰ τοιαῦτα, ὅσα περιεῖχεν αὐτῶν κατηγορίαν παρὰ τῷ λαῷ. Οὐδὲν οὖν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ καὶ ἀληθῆ τυγχάνουσαν τὴν περὶ Σωσάνναν ἐπιβουλευθεῖσαν ὑπὸ ἀκολάστων πρεσβυτέρων ἱστορίαν οἱ μὴ μακρὰν τυγχάνοντες τῆς προαιρέσεως τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἐκείνων ἐξέκλεψαν, καὶ ὑφεῖλον ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁ Στέφανος μαρτυρῶν ἐπὶ πολλοῖς, καὶ ταῦτα λέγει: «Τίνα τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἐδίωξαν οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀπέκτειναν τοὺς προκαταγγείλαντας περὶ τῆς ἐλεύσεως τοῦ Δικαίου, οὗ νῦν ὑμεῖς προδόται καὶ φονεῖς ἐγένεσθε;» Ἀληθεύειν μὲν γὰρ τὸν Στέφανον πᾶς ὁστισοῦν τῶν προσιεμένων τὰς Πράξεις τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁμολογήσει: ἀποδεῖξαι δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης, πῶς εὐλόγως μέμφεται τοῖς πατράσι τῶν εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀπιστούντων, ὡς διώξασι τοὺς προφήτας καὶ ἀποκτείνασιν, οὐ δυνατὸν ἀπὸ τῶν φερομένων βιβλίων τῆς Καινῆς Διαθήκης: καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ τῆς πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς ἐπιστολῆς ταῦτα περὶ Ἰουδαίων μαρτυρῶν φησίν: «Ὑμεῖς γὰρ μιμηταὶ ἐγενήθητε τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῶν οὐσῶν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ: ὅτι καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ αὐτὰ ἐπάθετε ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδίων συμφυλετῶν, καθὼς καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, τῶν καὶ τὸν Κύριον ἀποκτεινάντων, καὶ τοὺς προφήτας, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκδιωξάντων, καὶ Θεῷ μὴ ἀρεσκόντων, καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐναντίων: κωλυόντων ἡμᾶς τοῖς ἔθνεσι λαλῆσαι, ἵνα σωθῶσι.» Καὶ οἶμαι δὲ ἀποδεδειχέναι ἐν τοῖς προκειμένοις, ὅτι οὐδὲν ἄτοπόν ἐστι, γεγονέναι μὲν τὴν ἱστορίαν, καὶ τὴν μετὰ πολλῆς ἀκολασίας ὠμότητα τετολμῆσθαι τοῖς τότε πρεσβυτέροις κατὰ τῆς Σωσάννης, καὶ γεγράφθαι μὲν προνοίᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ὑπεξαιρεῖσθαι δὲ, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τὸ Πνεῦμα, ὑπὸ τῶν ἀρχόντων Σοδόμων.